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Popovich wins third NBA Coach of the Year award

Agence France-Presse

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Gregg Popovich, who guided the San Antonio Spurs to the league's best record this season, was named Tuesday as the NBA Coach of the Year for the third time in his career

POP ON TOP. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hasn't won less than 50 games in a full season during his 18-year tenure with the team. Photo by Paul Buck/EPA

NEW YORK – Gregg Popovich, who guided the San Antonio Spurs to the league’s best record this season, was named Tuesday as the NBA Coach of the Year for the third time in his career.

The Spurs, sparked by big man Tim Duncan and backcourt stars Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, finished with a 62-20 regular-season mark to claim a home-court edge throughout the NBA playoffs.

(RELATED: Holding Court – Gregg Popovich is NBA’s best coach)

Popovich, who also won the award in 2012 and 2003, joined Pat Riley and Don Nelson as the only three-time winners of the award.

Popovich received 380 points, including 59 first-place votes, from a North American media panel. Jeff Hornacek of Phoenix was second with 339 points and 37 first-place nods with Chicago’s Tom Thibodeau third on 159 points with 12 first-place votes.

The Spurs were the only NBA team with 30 wins at home and on the road, going 32-9 at home and 30-11 away from their arena.

San Antonio led the NBA in scoring margin, averaging 7.8 points a game more than opponents over the 82-game campaign, averaging 105.4 points a game while allowing only 97.6.

It was the 15th season in a row that Popovich’s Spurs won 50 or more games and the fourth time San Antonio cracked 60 wins, including a 19-game win streak from February 26-April 2 that matched the fifth-longest in NBA history.

Balance has been a key for the Spurs, with no player averaging more than 20 points a game or 30 minutes of playing time a night. Frenchman Parker led both categories with 16.7 points and 29.4 minutes a game.

Popovich’s 967 career regular-season victories rank ninth on the NBA’s all-time list. – Rappler.com

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